


Could've Been

by ifthenelse



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Fear, Fluff and Angst, Light BDSM, Pain, Root is Alive, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-06-27 02:57:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 19,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15676620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifthenelse/pseuds/ifthenelse
Summary: A collection of one-shots, ficlets, and tumblr prompt fills about Shoot's relationship throughout the series, starting with Sameen's return from samaritan's capture, mostly canon with a slight divergence. Non-Chronological





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a song by the artist H.E.R
> 
> This chapter is inspired by s5 ep 9 Sotto Voce
> 
> Please R&R

It had been difficult, convincing Shaw that she wasn’t in another simulation.

Root had aimed her gun at many people, some alive, most dead, but never had she turned one on herself. The thought had never crossed her mind to do so.

That is until she watched Shaw point her gun to the side of her head with the realization that she may lose her forever unless she did something.

Her search for Shaw had been mentally and physical draining, still her efforts hadn’t ceased, and she knew they never would until she found her. It seemed though, life had something different planned, because fate brought Sameen back to her, and she would not allow anything to take her away again. 

And if she had to die with Shaw for her to know that, then so be it.

As Root held the loaded gun at her chin in a position that would undoubtedly kill her upon impact, she watched several emotions display on Shaw’s face. She was still fighting internally to believe that this was reality and recognizing that the woman standing before her would pull the trigger with her. If it turned out to not be a simulation, then Shaw would be responsible for Root’s death and that was not something she could go to the grave with.

So, she lowered her gun, but her eyes never left Root.

Relief had washed over Root as soon as Sameen lowered her gun. Root dropped hers and closed the distance between them quickly, taking the gun out of Shaw’s hand before her mind convinced her to go through with her earlier decision. 

Shaw stared at her, a look of vulnerability sketched across her features that would've never been there prior to Samaritan’s capture of her. She was so unsure of herself and of this moment that she almost looked scared, and it enraged Root to see the woman who had once been so confident in everything she did, struggle with her own reality.

Root could feel the sorrow within Sameen, and it caused tears to well in her eyes again. She took Shaw in her arms and held her tightly against her for what seemed like eternity. Unwilling to let her go even if Samaritan agents were to suddenly appear and riddle them with bullets. She would die with Sameen in her arms if need be.

She had never felt this way for anyone before. She had a countless number of lovers, mostly flings and some noteworthy companions, but none had ever come close to what she felt for the woman against her.

When had she fallen in love with Shaw? She couldn’t even answer that question, but she had felt it most intensely when she watched the Samaritan agents tear Shaw’s body apart with a barrage of bullets. 

When she watched what appeared to be her lifeless body fall to the ground beneath her.

Her heart had literally stopped beating and she could not fill her lungs to take a breath. All other thoughts had ceased, the only thing she could think of was Sameen. Nothing else mattered, not even her God.

And now, here she was again, in the flesh, and suicidal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> consider this a continuation of the first chapter

“Sameen…” Roots dark eyes locked with Shaw’s, they were sitting in her living room after having finally got out of the brisk New York city cold. Root noticed that Shaw was zoning out a bit and placed her hand on her cheek to bring her attention back to the present. Shaw placed her hand on top of Root’s and they entwined their fingers together.

“ I can…feel you…Root,” Shaw said as if trying to make sense of the physical sensations of Root touching her again. Root couldn’t help the tears that were beginning to pool in her eyes, she tried to blink them away but instead they fell in heavy large drops to her lap, darkening the fabric of her jeans.

She had hated Samaritan before, but now, she was filled with a rage that she couldn’t describe. It had managed to force the machine to go on the run and now it had almost succeeded in breaking Shaw’s mind. 

She wished she could turn it into an Atari or maybe a casio.

Suddenly, she felt Sameen’s warm hand wiping her tears from her face with her free hand, the other still tightly linked with her own. Her expression was blank and unreadable as usual, but her eyes were telling a different story and she felt herself getting lost in them. Root’s tears came to a halt, and she began coming to a realization at just what was displaying in Shaw’s dark gaze.

It was confirmed when her thumb began to trace Root’s full lips.

“Samee..” Her name was lost when Shaw crashed their lips together in an intense kiss that took her breath away. Root’s arms settled around Shaw’s waist to pull her as close to her body as possible, paranoid that maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her this time. She deepened the kiss, sucking gently at Shaw’s lips which caused, what sounded like a whimper, to rise from her throat. Shaw’s tongue found its way into her mouth and when it met with hers, neither could hinder the moans coming from within them.

All of the things Shaw couldn’t say, she said with that kiss. Root felt it, and responded with the same fervor, they spoke to each other in the one way they could both fully understand.

Shaw was the first to pull away, gazing curiously into the depths of Root’s deep brown eyes. They had been intimate countless times in the past. Mostly quick and intense couplings that left scars and bruises on them that neither could deny. Somewhere though, Shaw realized that what she felt for Root wasn’t just lust, or a temporary quick fix for a physical need. It was, something else, something more, that she couldn’t understand or describe, but was reserved only for Root.

Root’s fingers, long and pale fingers traced scars, old and new, along Shaw’s lean body. It felt good, too good, to feel someone touching her in a way that wasn’t medical, or to inflict damage on her. Root’s hands were warm and soft, and Shaw shuddered lightly at the sensations. She couldn’t remember the last time that they had been together, but she knew, it was nothing like this.  
There was something unspoken between them, but known, and it warmed Shaw in a way nothing ever had.

Shaw straddled Root and immediately, Root’s hands came to Shaw’s hips to steady her. They kissed again, and Shaw felt the strong stirrings of arousal within her belly, warmth spreading down her body and a need throbbing deep within. It caused a needy moan to escape her lips, and her nails slowly clawed down Root’s back in a way that let her know just what she wanted.

And she was going to give it to her…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by s3 ep 6 Mors Praematura

She could feel Root’s eyes on her.

Shaw didn’t have to turn around to confirm that the hacker had no doubt violated her with her eyes from the top of her head down to her boot clad feet. As a matter of fact, she was sure that right now, her dark gaze was focused on her ass.

“You have a bright future behind you Sameen,” Root said with her absurd smirk lining her features.

Shaw rolled her eyes for what felt like the 100th time that night at Root’s horrible innuendos and turned around to face her.

Root’s smirk spread even wider and formed into an all-out grin.

Shaw glared hard at her and moved to lay claim to her property for the night. “I am sleeping in the chair, you can take the bedroom or the floor for all I care…”

“I think the bed is pretty big enough for both of us Shaw, don’t you think?” Root said in that annoyingly enticing way of hers. 

Shaw met her eyes with a look of feigned disgust and simply stated, “hell no.” Then she folded her arms and closed her eyes for good measure hoping that Root would take the hint.

She didn't though, and after only a few moments, Shaw felt something being dropped into her lap.

She opened her eyes to look down at it and was shocked to find zip ties there. She brought her eyes back up to Root, who was staring down at her with an amused expression.

“Shall we pick up where we left off Shaw?” Root said smugly and then continued, “I doubt we’ll be disturbed this time.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut, you've been warned  
> Inspired by S4 ep 7 Honor Among Thieves

The smug smirks never left their faces as they continued walking down the streets of Manhattan.

Shaw’s presence and attention were chasing the jealous feelings that had been lingering inside Root over Tomas away, to the point where she couldn’t even remember her earlier annoyance. She had originally felt her feelings were misplaced as her and Shaw had never defined exactly what it was between them. However, for Root, she knew that it wasn’t just sex anymore. When Shaw was around her, she felt it hard to concentrate on anything else, and she couldn’t deny the happiness that she felt even if it the interaction was only through the comlink. Shaw’s voice now had the same effect on her as seeing her in person, though the latter could eradicate all thought in her overactive mind.

It scared her and intrigued her all at the same time. Root had never felt this way about anyone before and couldn’t think back to a single person occupying her mind for more than a moment at a time, of course excluding Harold. Those thoughts however, fell into a different category, with Shaw, she was beginning to feel that maybe they belonged together. She couldn’t gauge exactly what Shaw’s thoughts were on that and didn’t think asking her opinion on the matter would result in anything more than an eye roll with a dismissive comment.

Suddenly, Root felt a strong grip yanking her into an alley and her body was immediately shoved against a brick wall. Shaw kissed her fiercely and forced her lips open with her tongue causing Root to moan directly into Shaw’s mouth as she deepened the kiss. Shaw’s nails dug into Root’s spine and she bit Shaw’s lower lip in response then licked away the pain, smirking upon hearing Shaw’s muted groan.

“Shut up.” She said against her lips. Root didn’t miss the breathlessness in Shaw’s voice and her smirk spread into a knowing smile.

“I would, but I am not so sure you want me to Sameen.” She said, gesturing towards the downward journey Shaw’s hand had been taking. She shivered as Shaw’s fingernails trailed down her stomach and over her pelvis, digging into her thighs and settling right where she needed it the most.

Root’s head fell back against the wall with a sigh as Shaw’s fingers circled around her clit and began rubbing the length of it. She leaned down and kissed Shaw again while running her hands over her breasts and pressing her nails hard into Shaw’s hardened nipples, causing pain to shoot down her body in a delicious way. Shaw groaned, trying not to lose focus as a heated ache started between her legs, her fingers worked their way down Root’s labia and slipped into her entrance.

Root was right, Shaw delighted in hearing the moans and little needy noises Root tried to suppress when she was being pleasured. She clawed at Shaw’s back when she entered her and Shaw held back a moan of her own at feeling how wet the hacker was already while she thrust her fingers incessantly in her. Root’s moans grew louder, uncaring that they were fucking outside and could without doubt, draw an audience around them. Shaw used her free hand to grip Roots ass forcing her to match her unrelenting rhythm. She added another finger inside of her, stretching out her tight walls while plunging her fingers inside her, repeatedly brushing the tips of them against her throbbing spot.

Shaw bit into Root’s neck almost breaking skin and it sent her over the edge. Root’s orgasm hit her with an intensity that caused her eyes to fall shut as her body quaked and trembled against Shaw, with Shaw’s name being moaned in the most wanton of ways.

“Sameen, oh god Sameen.” Root managed to breath out while still riding the waves of her climax. Shaw was still knuckle deep inside her and as she opened her eyes, Root chuckled at the smug look that was etched on Shaw’s face. Shaw ran her eyes over Root taking in her disheveled appearance. Her eyes were glazed over from her orgasm and filled with lust, her face was flushed, and her neck was reddening where Shaw had sunk her teeth in. Root looked thoroughly fucked and Shaw was satisfied for now seeing this as payback for Root teasing her over the comlink when she had met Tomas earlier. Shaw withdrew her fingers from inside her causing a gasp to leave Root and licked them off one by one while holding Root’s heated gaze.

“So…” Shaw said while licking her lips, “Your place or mine?”


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is inspired by the events between S4 Ep 11 If-Then-Else and S4 Ep 21 Asylum
> 
> Kudos give me the drive to keep writing, so thanks to all who have clicked that button.

Martine ran her brown eyes over Shaw’s small frame while cleaning the blood off the tools that had just been used to assist in their interrogation about the machine. Their efforts however, had proven trivial, as Shaw, despite the cutting and drilling into her skin, had not even flinched, let alone relayed any information that would prove useful to them. Shaw was truly an enigma, and though she knew she’d never openly admit it, she admired her. 

Shaw was skillful, smooth and deadly and Martine wished Samaritan had gotten a hold of her before the machine had. Not only would she have proven to be a very valuable asset, but she would’ve attempted to get her in to bed at least once. Perhaps it would’ve been easier, had they been on the same side. She took in the exotic features of Shaw’s face and the defined muscles of her arms, then, allowed herself the pleasure of slipping her hands under Shaw’s tank marveling at the feel of solid muscle against her fingers. 

“Do you want to live?” Shaw’s voice, rough and strong, despite the torture she had just been through, cut through Martine’s thoughts. She smiled and let her hands linger a bit on Shaw’s stomach while locking eyes with the dangerous assassin before her.

“You still seem to think you have the upper hand in this situation Shaw.” Martine replied, “you need to just give in. Become an asset to Samaritan, before things get more uncomfortable for you.” She finished with a smile and a promise in her eyes.

“There is nothing you pathetic assholes could do to me that hasn’t been done already.” Shaw said, glaring at Martine with a hatred that seemed endless.

Martine walked over to the top of the bed and looked down at Shaw, never breaking eye contact with her. “Maybe not to you…but what if were done to Samantha?”

A low growl rumbled from Shaw’s chest in warning, and her jaw tightened. “Her name is Root, bitch…” she replied tersely, correcting her as she was sure Root would’ve done had she been there. Then she continued, narrowing her eyes, “and if you so much as look at her in a threatening way, they will never find your body.”

Martine began laughing humorlessly before replying. “What the hell makes you think I haven’t already Shaw? How do you even know your little team isn’t here in this building with you? Are you so sure that your so called ‘sacrifice’ worked, and that they all got away safely?”

Shaw glanced away from her and remained expressionless, unwilling to let Martine see that she had struck a nerve.

Shaw had no way of knowing if they had managed to escape the building without either being killed or captured. However, if they had been caught, there was no logical explanation for Samaritan’s continual effort at turning her. Finch and the machine were Samaritan’s primary targets, and if they had Root then they had the direct line to the machine. Shaw was certain, the machine wouldn’t allow Root to be tortured again, especially after the damage that had been done by Control.

So, Shaw decided to call Martine’s bluff.

“Greer wouldn’t focus so much of his attention on me if he had Finch and as for the rest of the team, the machine wouldn’t allow all of her assets to be captured without developing a strategy to retrieve them, which most likely would be bargaining with Samaritan for release.”

“How do you know it isn’t doing that right now?” 

Shaw rolled her eyes and sighed, “Are you trying to question me to death?”

Martine chuckled again, clearly enjoying this sick game she was playing with Shaw’s mind. “It’s a pity Shaw, if only you saw your team the way an A.I truly does and cut out all of the sentimental bullshit that zealot Samantha spews about the Machine, you wouldn’t be in so much emotional turmoil, especially over whatever happens to your girlfriend…” She paused a moment to allow a response from Shaw who stared blankly at her and then continued, “We are all disposable and can be easily replaced, and that is why you’re still lying here prisoner to us. The machine surely will replace you and not waste any time or effort in arranging a rescue for you. So why not just accept the truth and work with something that will benefit you and humanity in the long run?”

Shaw looked away from Martine and considered her words for a moment before determining that she had worked long enough for the machine to know that it wouldn’t just discard her. She had saved her life and the team lives countless times in the past when the situation looked grim and hopeless, and Shaw believed that She would find a way out for her now, she just had to hold on.

She also knew that Her analogue interface would burn down the city in a cold rage, just to find her.

“For the last fucking time…” Shaw replied meeting the blondes condescending gaze, “her name is Root.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im definitely not a fan of Martine's. However, i think she was a necessary character for POI, i feel she balanced out team samaritan and also played a great antagonist to Root and Shaw.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Season 3 ep 10 The Devil's Share
> 
> After Finch allowed Root to help them on a mission, Root returned back to her cell, she could've escaped and chose not to. So this is a smutty divergence to her remaining captivity.
> 
> You've been warned.

Root and Shaw were involved in an ongoing stare off.

Neither blinking nor looking away.

Shaw had held Roots attention the moment she heard her footsteps coming towards her small prison in the library. When she came face to face with her, she inwardly marveled at her beauty and fearlessness. She felt Shaw was as sexy as she was deadly and was reluctant to admit the amount of times she had crossed her mind since their first tryst. Even though, Shaw was the reason why she had been captured in the first place.

Root’s gaze was playful, seductive as always, and curious as she regarded the woman before her. Shaw’s eyes were dark with murderous intent and locked on her. The intensity of her gaze caused Root to shiver in remembrance of the looks Shaw had given her while on her knees, between Root’s legs, bringing her to a catastrophic orgasm that she’s sure she never had before. However, Root was convinced that outside of sex, Shaw had an underlying interest in her. Even if she had almost tortured her the first time they met and tried to kill her employer.

Not to mention the tasing and drugging of their following encounters.

Root had been absolutely delighted when the machine told her that it was Shaw who convinced Harold to let her help them and that it had not been Shaw’s first request for Root’s release. Now, with Shaw coming to see her with no real reason to, Root was beginning to think that there was a little more to Shaw’s actions than she let on.

“So, I guess you’re wondering why I’m here….” Shaw said it as more of a statement than a question and she seemed to be at a loss as to why she was there in the first place. Root though, had no problem answering her almost question, and had been waiting for the opportunity to do so.

“It’s because you like me...” She said with a smug smile and mischief playing in her eyes. “and you agree with my methods of operation...” She ran her eyes appreciatively over Shaw, then finished with “especially behind closed doors.”

Shaw rolled her eyes and shook her head, fighting against the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Shaw truly didn’t know why she was so drawn to Root. Sure, they had mind blowing sex that night at the CIA safe house, and Root had been all for being tied up, bitten, cut and tortured. Enthusiastically taking everything Shaw was willing to give. Afterwards, the memory of it had kept her company on many lonely nights. Still, Shaw couldn’t understand what set Root apart from the countless other one night stands she had in the past, or how she had the ability to captivate her in a way that no one else could.

It was these messy thoughts that had brought Shaw to the library, as if seeing Root in person would make sense of everything that was running through her mind.

The stare off continued.

Neither relenting to the burning sensations in their eyes.

Suddenly, Root drew close to the gate separating them, pressing her supple body against it, still holding Shaw’s gaze. She threaded her fingers through the holes and beckoned Shaw to her with a teasing curl of her middle finger.

“Come here.” She whispered softly.

Shaw glanced down the corridor to make sure they were still alone, then drew close to the gate against her better judgement and much to Root’s pleasure. Shaw kept her eyes trained on the hacker’s and didn’t miss the fingers she felt unbuttoning her pants and pulling down the zipper. Root’s hand then slipped beneath her waistband and trailed along the defined muscles of Shaw’s lower abs and continued downward until she reached the black boy shorts she was certain Shaw’s was wearing. She then traced the outline of Shaw’s crotch through the fabric earning a restrained groan from the soldier.

“Root…what are you doing?” Shaw asked breathlessly, biting her lower lip to keep from moaning from the feel of Root’s long fingers.

Roots voice was low and laced with sex, “Isn’t it obvious Shaw?”

“Fuck.” Shaw moaned out when out Roots fingers finally had made their way inside her and were slipping in and out in a deep and slow pace. Shaw tried to contain the sounds coming from her, but Root was increasing her speed and had shifted to a different angle that came in direct contact with her g spot. Root’s thumb then nestled between her folds and pressed down into Shaw’s aching clit causing a gush of hot liquid to flow out of her and down Root’s insistent fingers.

Root’s response was to slide another finger inside Shaw and she smirked as a stream of curses in both English and Farsi followed that action. Shaw’s hands pushed through the gate and ripped Root’s blouse apart, sending the buttons flying in different directions and clattering to the floor. She clawed all over Root’s exposed skin, leaving red streaks from her collarbone down to her breasts and over her stomach. Shaw cursed the gate between them wanting nothing more than to sink her teeth into Root’s neck in that moment and mark her as hers. Shaw had never felt the need to possess someone before and the feeling surprised her. She opted to blame it on the orgasmic high that she was still floating on and focused on bringing Root the same pleasure that she had given her.

Shaw cupped Root’s breasts through the fabric of her bra then slipped her fingers underneath it to knead at the soft flesh there garnering a whimper from the hacker, who reveled in the feel of Shaw’s rough hands on her skin. Root’s rhythm inside Shaw never ceased and she continued stroking her even as Shaw’s fingers made their way finally inside her. Both of their heads fell forward against the gate and they panted heavily against each other as pleasure ripped through their bodies. Root was so wet and hot that Shaw wanted nothing more than to go down on her and instead had to settle for fingering her. She encircled Root’s clit with her thumb and flicked it back and forth while she pinched at her nipple with her free hand causing Root to moan her name in such a desperate way that Shaw felt another orgasm sweep through her.

They clung to each other as intense climaxes over took them both at the same time, not separating even with the aftershocks that ripped through them.

When they were finally capable of coherent thought, Root gave Shaw a satisfied grin and broke the silence.

“You should come visit me more often Sameen.”


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set between S3 ep 12 Alethia and S3 ep 16 RAM
> 
> Light fluff taken from Shaw's POV

It had been a long day and all Shaw wanted to do was take a hot shower and get in bed without any disturbances. Unfortunately for her, there was a gun toting hacker, currently infatuated with her who had a slightly different agenda planned for her.

When Shaw finally made it home, there was a message in a chat box that was frozen on her computer screen. Since this was a new occurrence, Shaw immediately searched her apartment for any intrusion and upon finding none, sat down on her couch and settled her laptop down on her thighs to read the message.

9:58 pm > Did you miss me?

Shaw rolled her eyes and growled at the offending message, then replied.

10:30 pm (Shaw)> Don’t you have something better to do than hack my computer and ask stupid questions?

Shaw sat back against the pillows of her couch and waited for a response.

10:32 pm (Root)> There’s nothing better than doing you Shaw.

Shaw groaned, she had walked right into that one.

10:33 pm (Shaw)> Pervert.

10:34 pm (Root)> I heard that you came looking for me.

Shaw mentally scheduled an ass kicking for The Machine.

10:35 pm (Shaw)> I don’t know what you’re talking about.

If she didn’t acknowledge it, then it wasn’t true.

10:36 pm (Root)> Of course not Sameen.

Shaw mentally scheduled an ass kicking for The Machine’s smug analogue interface.

10:37 pm (Shaw)> Where are you Root?

It wasn’t like she actually cared or anything. It was just that she had heard about what Control had done to her and she wanted to make sure that Root was safe at least.

She absolutely did not care about her whereabouts.

10:38 pm (Root)> I’m safe for right now Shaw. That’s all that matters.

10:40 pm (Shaw)> If you say so.

Not that Root's safety mattered to her. She was just curious and making conversation.

10:41 pm (Root)> Didn’t know you cared so much Shaw.

Shaw could see the smirk on Root’s face even though they were in an online chat, as this was a common statement by her anytime Shaw displayed concern.

Even though it wasn’t concern, it was just, oh fuck it.

10:42 pm (Shaw) You know that I do, stop rubbing it in, ok.”

10:43 pm (Root) But don’t you like it when I rub it?

Shaw growled again at the screen and smacked it for good measure. She knew that statement was accompanied by a pout that Root always had when she was teasing her and decided that she had enough excitement for one night and slammed the computer closed.

She didn’t like anything that Root did. She didn’t like her as a matter of fact and by the time Shaw finally made it into bed, she had resolved in her mind that they were never having sex again.

Her phone vibrated on the night stand.

Shaw’s gut was telling her not to look at her phone, but it could’ve been Finch or Reese messaging her about a number.

She decided to kill the suspense and pick up her phone to see the contents of the text message, she immediately wished that she hadn't.

It read, _I’m outside._


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty Angst? Angsty Smut?  
> Inspired by s4 ep 10 The Cold War

The subway was filled with sounds of weights clinking together and light grunts from the new resident. Root walked slowly over to where the sounds were originating from, her heart beating fast in anticipation as she wondered just how angry Shaw would be.

Their last interaction had not gone as well as she would’ve liked. Sameen was unwilling to accept that her cover being blown meant that she was a prime target for Samaritan and that they were on the hunt for her. She needed to lay low and wait for things to blow over, but Shaw didn’t do laying low and she didn’t wait for anything or anyone. She had given Root and Finch hell for even suggesting that she do otherwise.

This resulted in Root having to trick Shaw into letting her guard down enough for her turn her back on the sly hacker who she chose at the wrong moment to underestimate. Root drugged her the moment she knew Shaw would be unable to defend herself, because she knew she wouldn’t last even seconds against the combative ex-marine. The tranquilizer she had stuck in Shaw’s neck contained three times the normal dosage and caused her to pass out in seconds. Finally, Root had been able to get Shaw to the subway uneventfully and laid her down on the bed in the small spare room that the subway had.

Root had made it a priority, to not be anywhere in the proximity of Shaw when she woke up.

After a full 48 hours, she had been unable to stay away, needing to see Sameen alive like she needed her next breath. No matter the consequences.

_“I will end you…”_

Those had been Shaw’s last words to Root before the drug took over, and Root still felt the deadly grip that Shaw had had on her throat.

She trembled at the thought, she knew exactly what those strong hands were capable of.

As she neared the makeshift gym that Reese had set up for Shaw while she had been asleep in an effort to appease her, Root noticed that the sounds had ceased and that it was so silent that she could hear her own breathing. Out of habit, Root reached for her gun holstered on her thigh under the dress that she had worn for a mission earlier. She looked around listening intently for any signs of life and then decided to call out to Shaw.

“Sameen?”

Directly behind her was a mocking chuckle and Root gasped as she felt rough hands gripping firmly at her waist and guiding her to the nearest flat surface, which just so happened to be Harold’s desk.

“So, was this your way of getting even with me Root?” Root’s dress was being torn from the back and the sleeves slid down her arms as she was forced to bend over. “You tasered me, threatened to burn me with an iron…” A knife slid down the front of her dress, slicing it to pieces. “Then I shot you in the shoulder...” Sharp teeth sank into her shoulder at that comment for emphasis and caused her to cry out, whimpering and shaking as a wet tongue licked the pain a way and she trembled again when that damn blade ran down her spine. “You broke into my fucking apartment, tasered me **AGAIN** , drugged me and zip tied me to a steering wheel…” Shaw’s hand then gripped Root’s hair in a fist and she spoke right into her good ear, her voice vicious and low, “Then I knocked your ass unconscious and got you locked in the library, and now over a year later, you want to return the favor?”

“It was for your own good Shaw.” Root managed to breathe out. Her dress had been torn to shreds and now the blade was cutting deliciously into her pale skin, leaving pink streaks up and down her body. Shaw was meticulously only opening the top layer of her skin, not too deep but just right and enough to turn Root into a hot dripping mess.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what’s good for me?” Shaw growled, the blade now sliced through Root’s bra causing her breasts to spill out from them.

Root was unable to breathe when Shaw ripped her panties off and thrust her fingers deeply inside her. Unable to make a reply as a moan escaped her, and she sought to grip something as Shaw pounded relentlessly into her. Shaw groaned upon finding Root already so wet and aching for her and she pumped her fingers harder into her. Shaw pressed the knife into Root’s stomach as she curled her fingers inside Root and brushed them back and forth against her spot.

“Fuck.” Root breathed out, and Shaw smirked at that.

She pounded Root into oblivion, working her palm against her clit and adding fingers into her until Root was stretched and filled and coming all over them. Warm juices were running down her thighs and wet sounds filling the subway as Shaw did not stop but continued making Root ride wave after wave of pleasure.

“Sameen, oh god, Sameen…” Root moaned her name as if it were the only one she knew.

Shaw leaned over still plunging her fingers into her and whispered in her ear. “I told you I was going to end you.”

Root came again, her body over stimulated by the cuts to her flesh by the blade, the multitude of orgasms and the very presence of Shaw.

Shaw dropped the blade and turned Root around to face her. Shaw’s eyes were dark and filled with rage, but Root looked past that, she always looked past what Shaw displayed on the surface and tried to look into her heart.

“I could not survive if something happened to you Sameen.” Roots eyes were watering as she spoke, and Shaw felt the anger that had been burning within her begin to dissipate at a fast rate. “I have to keep you safe.” She said with a conviction, her tone letting Shaw know that it was non-negotiable.

Shaw pushed Root back onto the desk and stood between her long legs. Root instinctively wrapped them around Shaw’s waist and pulled her close against her body. Shaw buried her face into Root’s neck and whispers her response. “How do you think I would feel if one of these days, you or the boys get hurt, or worse, and I wasn’t there to help or able to stop it from happening? It would kill me Root, especially if…” Shaw trailed off, but Root was able to fill in the rest of it in her mind.

_Especially if it’s me._

Root tilts Shaw’s chin up to her and they lock eyes for an intense moment. Root’s heart is swelling with emotion and the need to tell Shaw is overwhelming.

“Sameen…”

Shaw looks away, “Don’t say it Root, don’t.”

Root kisses Shaw in response and puts everything she felt in that moment into it, hoping that Shaw could feel how much she loved her, how much she needed her to live.

Shaw returns the kiss with a desperation that she has never felt before. Her desire for Root is so strong that it terrifies and excites her all at once. This woman who she once wanted to kill, then craved intensely and now she felt she couldn’t live without, had managed to sneak her way into Shaw’s black heart and she had no idea how it had happened.

Shaw’s earlier rage has disappeared, and she lets Root lead her into her designated bedroom for her stay there. She lets Root undress her and kiss the anxieties she feels for the threat of Samaritan away, and lets Root lick away the frustration of having to remain hidden for the sake of all their lives. She lets Root enter her body and make her curse and moan and come and forget everything that had been eating away inside her since the day Samaritan had come online.

She lets Root fuck away her fears and it leaves her drained.

 

* * *

  


A few hours later Harold walks into the station completely puzzled by the lack of noise, aside from the sound of Bear’s nails scraping on the platform as he rushes to greet him. 

“Ms. Shaw?” Harold calls out but receives no answer.

Worry begins to grip him as he begins to conclude that Shaw has fled while he had been away. He decides to cover all bases before alerting Root and Reese to Shaw’s departure.

He first heads over to the makeshift gym that Shaw had been using since Reese had shown it to her, perhaps she was taking a break between reps. Upon finding it empty, he then walks over to the room that Shaw had been sleeping in, hoping that she had just worn herself out from the frantic pacing and threats she had been giving him all day before he escaped.

When he reaches his destination, he couldn’t stop the “Oh my,” that leaves his lips and the reddening of his cheeks.

Shaw was wrapped tightly in the arms of Root, and there was a lack of clothing on both their parts that had left little doubt as to what they had been doing before ending up in this position. They were both asleep, chests rising and falling in tune with one another and neither stirring at his intrusion. 

Harold hurried away, speechless but not at all shocked. He decided it would be best to let them sleep as who knew what the following days would bring. He walks over to the fridge and puts Shaw’s favorite sandwich from Parks deli (the Beatrice Lilly) in the refrigerator. He was certain she would be ravenous when she woke up.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by S4 ep 5 Pretenders

Shaw glared out of her peephole.

Root was standing there in her dimly lit hallway smiling, with her injured arm in a sling and a Chinese take out bag in the other.

Finch’s words echoed in her mind and since then Shaw had been bracing herself for some sort of news on Root. If it proved to be that Root had gotten her stupid self killed then that was on her, it’s not like Shaw cared.

_“Any word from Root?”  
“Its going to be a long fight and it must be won, at all costs.”_

Shaw’s mind betrayed her by replaying those words, yet again. Finch didn’t know it, but Shaw had felt as if he had shot her in the chest with that response, and she had been trying to work out why, though she was sure she knew the answer.

Still, she believed she was feeling something akin to relief at seeing the hacker standing there, knowing Shaw was dissecting her with her eyes through her peephole. Not that Shaw was really staring all that hard. It’s just that Root looked really good for someone who had barely escaped death, and who was grinning at her like a kid in a candy store.

“I can see you watching me Sameen, you do know that right?” She said smugly, her grin never leaving.

Shaw growled and opened her door, completely unaffected by Root’s stupid sexy teasing tone.

“What are you doing here?”

Root ignored her question and pranced (there was no other way to put it) into her apartment, only stopping to put the food on the counter, then continue to her main destination.

Shaw locked her front door then ran ahead of Root before she got to her bedroom, blocking her entrance.

Root gazed at her and smiled warmly as Shaw began inspecting her, lifting her shirt and checking for more damage. Shaw’s eyes darkened when she saw the bruises along Root’s torso and she grumbled angrily as she looked over Root’s shoulder.

“I am going to kill that blond bitch…”

“Sameen.” Root cut her rant short and took a step closer to Shaw. She wrapped her good arm around Shaw’s waist and pressed their bodies together. 

Anger dissipated from Shaw’s features at the contact and Root leaned down to kiss her, which Shaw did not pull away from but returned intensely.

When they broke the kiss, both were breathing heavily, and Shaw’s hands were all over Root’s body. They stilled for a moment though when Shaw was capable of remembering why she had gotten ahead of Root in the first place, her mind having been clouded by lust because of Root kissing her.

Stupid distracting Root…

Conviction returned to Shaw’s face as she was determined to have this discussion before any sexual activity began. 

“Do you really think it’s always necessary for you to use your body as target practice for Decima, simply because the machine says so?”

“I don’t use my body as t-“

“Yes, you do Root, you always act as if A. You don’t have back up. B. You’re immortal, and C. You’re expendable.”

“Why Sameen, is this you’re incredibly adorable way of telling me that you were worried about me?” She batted her eyes and tried to push Shaw backwards towards the bed, but the soldier wasn’t budging.  
Root pouted.

Shaw rolled her eyes and stood her ground, “I want an answer Root.”

Root sighed, “I don’t have one to give sweetie, I follow orders, I’m sure you can appreciate that.”

“Root you know somehow…” Shaw shook her head at Root’s nonchalance and bit her bottom lip then continued, “I doubt it’s The Machine’s intent for you to get killed.” Anger was beginning to pool in Shaw’s eyes again and Root didn’t like it. However, she was beginning to realize something.

Her and Shaw’s relationship had progressed beyond just having sex. Now they both slept over each other’s apartments. Root kept tabs on Shaw whenever she was away on missions and was well aware that Shaw sought out information in very discreet ways about her, which The Machine always relayed to her when she had the chance to. 

Based off Shaw’s actions, including the argument currently happening, Root concluded that Shaw was not only worried about her, she was also developing feelings for her that she didn’t understand.  
Shaw huffed in frustration after Root failed to response and seemed lost in thought.

Root pulled Shaw into another tight embrace and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Ok Sameen, you want me to be more careful, I will be, but only if you do me a favor.”

Against Shaw’s better judgement, which she wasn’t confident in due to the closeness of Root’s body to hers, she nodded before Root told her the actual favor.

“Admit that you like me.” Root said with a smile that spread from one side of her face to the other.

Shaw pulled away and folded her arms, “Absolutely not, and what does that have to do with you ending up half dead every two weeks from not protecting yourself properly.”

“It has everything to do with it.” Root said, smile unrelenting, as if it made perfect sense.

Shaw held her position.

“Admit it.”

Shaw rolled her eyes and after a few minutes of stubborn silence, grumbled. “Yeah.”

Root felt a warmth fill her heart in a way that it never had before, and she kissed Shaw with the same intensity that she had displayed earlier. This time there were no further disturbances.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT. Dont say I didnt warn you.
> 
> Inspired by S3 ep 20 Death Benefit

Sheer thrill was traveling throughout Shaw’s body as she held on tightly to Root while she sped down an icy highway on her motorcycle. They were chasing their target who was part of a militia group that had put a hit out on a politician. Their intention was to have him assassinated on his vacation in Anchorage before he became mayor of Nome and sold their shares of the gold panning business to the local mob, (though Shaw couldn't understand why anyone would want to live or vacation in an environment with below zero temperatures).

The militia group had put spotters at airports throughout Alaska’s major cities, and when Root and Shaw had landed in Anchorage, one of them had noticed Shaw and remembered her from a previous occasion. Having linked her with the ISA, he immediately alerted the members of his group and had began shooting at them while fleeing the scene.

Root dipped and weaved through the cars gaining on him with every passing second while he and Shaw exchanged fire. Finally, he made the mistake of turning around to see where they were for too long of a moment. A car slammed into him from the opposite flow of traffic and his body flew several feet in the air and dropped in front of a truck which rammed into what remained of him.

Shaw’s only thought was if he wasn't dead before, he certainly is now.

They both cringed at the sight of it all and Root revved up the engine and hightailed it out of there.

 

Several hours later, they were holed up in a small secluded cabin in the mountains. The machine had directed them quite a distance from Anchorage and had Root stop at a small town to pick up necessities before continuing off a beaten path to their destination. The cabin was an open plan studio, having a king size bed set in the middle of it, a bathroom and a small kitchenette. It was eerily quiet, only the howls of wolves could be heard in the distance and there were not any nearby houses. Shaw couldn't remember the last time she had been in such a rural environment and was against returning to one anytime soon. However, she was grateful for the warmth the cabin provided, she had felt she had been freezing for the entire day. She was sure though, Root had devised a plan to warm her up.

Root was throwing heated glances and innuendos at Shaw with every passing moment, and Shaw felt her resolve beginning to crumble.

Ever since the night she had went to see Root during her brief imprisonment in Harold’s library, Shaw had made a mental pact with herself to not let Root touch her again. It was for the very simple reason that Shaw knew, without doubt, that Root could wreck her.

She was already uncomfortable with the fact that Root had managed to gain the upper hand on her twice, regardless to the fact that Shaw was an ex-marine, highly trained in combat and skilled medically. Root had managed to hold her completely at her mercy, and Shaw shivered at the idea of what she would do to her without any restrictions.

So, Shaw resolved after that night that it would never happen again and had told Root several times that it was a lapse in judgment and curiosity that had caused the second time to occur.

Much to her chagrin, Root never believed her.

“One bed, whatever will we do?” Root said leaning against the bedpost and toying with the hem of her shirt. 

Shaw rolled her eyes and shook her head. “It’s not going to happen Root.”

“You know I’m having a feeling of déjà vu because if I recall correctly, isn't that what you said that night at the CIA safehouse... “That stupid smug smirk plays at her lips and Shaw wants nothing more than to smack it off. Root continues, “We both know how that played out though.”

“Don’t you ever shut up?” Shaw grumbles, trying hard not to notice Root slowly unbuttoning her shirt. 

“You know how to make me shut up Sameen.” 

Shaw avoids eye contact with Root knowing all she’ll see is an open sex invitation, and announces she is going to take a shower.

The shower has great pressure and the hot water eases the ache in her bones from the flight and the artic weather that she now found herself in. After a few peaceful minutes to herself, the bathroom door opens, letting out the steam in the room and then closes. Shaw is certain she had locked the door when she came in, but it is Root that she is trapped there with so her initial shock doesn’t last long.

The shower curtain is pulled back slowly and there stands one of the most notorious hackers the world has ever known, naked and aroused, with the promise of sex in her eyes.

Root’s breath hitches as she takes in Shaw. Her muscular arms and defined abs, her perfectly round breasts and wet hair that is cascading in loose curls around her toned body, the scars and bullet wounds that mar her sun kissed skin. She trails her eyes back up to Shaw’s face and lingers at her full lips, searing this image of Shaw in her mind so she never forgets how beautiful she is in this moment.

Shaw feels exposed and vulnerable under Root’s scrutiny and Root closes the distance between them, stepping into the bathtub and pressing Shaw against the tiles.

“If only you knew what you do to me Sameen,” Root mutters between wet kisses against Shaw’s neck and collarbone. She nibbles up her throat and continues, “How wet you make me…” She trails off and reaches up to trail Shaw’s lips with her thumb.

“Shut up.” Shaw grumbles and crashes their lips together. The kiss is hot and passionate, tongue slipping against tongue, lips sucking at lips and teeth nipping and biting into soft flesh. Both have split lips and flushed faces when they come up for air and Roots hands slide down Shaw’s body to explore her. 

“Don’t drag this out Root,” Shaw groans out as Root’s hands knead at her breasts. Root pinches her nipples and bites hard into her neck, drawing a wanton moan out of her that causes the hacker to smirk against her flesh.

“Good things come to those who wait,” She replies breathlessly, while bringing Shaw’s breasts into her mouth and teasing her hardened nipples with her wet tongue.

Shaw writhes and begins to claw at Root’s pale back, she wraps one of her legs around her waist trying to bring her closer to where she needs her attention most. Root ignores her and continues her assault on her breasts while sliding her hands over Shaw’s firm ass and squeezing. She digs her nails into it then rakes them down her toned thighs. Shaw feels every touch, scratch and bite that Root is giving her add to an aching burning need within her and she becomes desperate to feel Root’s mouth on her sex. She pushes Root roughly down her body to the floor of the tub and trembles when she feels Root’s tongue open her up, slipping between her slick folds and sweeping down the entire length of her swollen clit.

“Oh fuck…” Shaw moans out, trying not to lose herself in the pleasure ripping through her body as Root suck and licks hungrily at her. Root’s hands steady her and guide her legs around her neck as she settles Shaw on her mouth. Shaw rides her mouth hard and Root enters her easily with a flick of her tongue and plunges it in and out of her. Shaw’s head falls back against the tiles and she squeezes her eyes shut as she feels a gush of hot liquid flow out of her and into Root’s eager mouth. Her walls clench and quake at Root’s tongue as she comes with a loud moan, and Root takes that moment to look up at her, watching Shaw give herself over to her orgasm almost sends her over the edge with her. She continues to lick inside of her then slips her tongue out to suck softly at her overly sensitive clit, teasing her as she rides out the aftershocks only stopping when Shaw’s fingers tug at hair.

Root looks up at Shaw to find her completely blissed out and trying to catch her breath. Finally, when she is capable of speech she gives her order.

“Fuck me. Now.”

Root chuckles and licks her lips, delighted by the taste of Shaw on them. "So impatient," she says as she shoves two fingers deeply inside her and Shaw cries out from the sudden penetration. Root starts up a bruising rhythm, pumping relentlessly and the pressure begins to build again within Shaw. Roots fingers curl between Shaw’s walls and brush against her spot as she thrusts them harder. She pulls back and then adds another, opening Shaw up and filling her as she continues fucking her then presses her thumb against Shaw’s clit.

“Root…” Shaw moans out, grinding against Root’s hand and creaming all over it. Root stands up and wraps Shaw’s legs around her waist and shifts angles inside her, stroking in deep circles within her while she bites down into Shaw’s neck. 

Obscene wet sounds, gasps and moans fill the air as Root bangs Shaw against the shower wall as warm water streams down their bodies. Root kisses Shaw as another orgasm tears through Shaw’s body, she holds her tight as she spasms around her fingers and locks in them in place from the intensity of it. This time Root does come with her, moaning into her mouth as Shaw kisses her and tighten her legs around her waist as Root trembles against her. They breathe together as they each come down from their high.

After a few moments, they feel the temperature of the water change to cold and they promptly pull away from each other and clean off quickly. Root lets Shaw get out first and admires her body while she dries off, then she follows suit and walks back out into the main room, where she finds Shaw naked and waiting for her on the bed.

Root grins at her and raises an eyebrow in question. “So, Shaw, I guess its safe to say, that this **will** happen again?”

A middle finger is the soldier’s reply.

 

* * *

  


Shaw wakes up to find Root clothed and smirking down at her. She briefly worries if Root had caused her to blackout during their second round of sex and if she did, she will deny it down to her grave as she knows Root would never let her live it down. As sleep clears from her mind, she begins to think of a valid excuse to use so she can wipe that smug look off Root’s face.

“I didn't want to disturb you, you were sleeping so soundly after-“

Shaw cuts her off, “I was really exhausted from flying across the country, then chasing after a number and…”

“Being fucked so well?” Root finishes sweetly.

“It wasn't…all that.” Shaw grumbles trying to convince herself of that and looks out the window noting the thick snow coming down.

“Whatever you say Sameen,” comes Root amused reply.

Shaw points to the window and states the obvious, “Have you seen outside?”

“Yes, and we will be flying in it.”

“What!”

“Remember Sameen, I told you we were going to steal a jet?”

Shaw growls in frustration, why couldn't she remember what had been said less than 24 hours ago.

Root looks at her knowingly.

Shaw angrily pulls herself out of the warmth of the bed and pads over to the bathroom to get herself ready for the day, mumbling to herself about Robot Overlords and their lunatic prophets.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fits in between season 5 ep 09 Sotto Voce and ep 10 The day the world went away.
> 
> No, Root will not die in this story.

**Root**

**Root**

**You must get to the subway now.**

**Root**

For the first time since getting the cochlear implant, Root wanted nothing more than to turn it off. To The Machine’s credit, She hadn’t disturbed her the entire night that she had been with Shaw, though there had been more than enough reason for Her to. She decided to allow Root a fraction of the peace that she had fought so hard to attain after finally having Shaw back. However, She had grown insistent upon day break, chattering away in ear and texting her after Root failed to respond.

The hacker gazed across her bed at the woman who had been constantly on her mind and in her heart for the past nine months. Sameen’s presence seemed to soothe the raging storm of emotions that was passing through Root with each stolen moment and she was not ready to leave her just yet. She gently whispered to Her, to allow a little more time.

The Machine stated the same message repeatedly, and just as Root was about to relent, Shaw’s eyes shot open and her hand reached out in search of Root. She immediately drew close to Shaw and was surprised to feel Shaw curl against her body in response. Root could feel Shaw’s heart pounding against her chest and she cupped her cheek, stroking gently at it, as Shaw brought her panicked eyes up to meet hers.

“I’m right here baby…” Root gently reassured her, and continued for both her and The Machine, “and I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”

Shaw held her gaze and Root could see the battle within her tortured mind. She wanted to believe that she was here in this moment, but Samaritan had caused her to doubt everything, especially where she felt safe.

As if sensing Shaw’s inner turmoil, Root leaned in to kiss her and Shaw eagerly returned it before breaking it and looking away from her. 

“Sameen…” Root said in a desperate way that momentarily silenced the voices in Shaw’s mind telling her she needed to wake up, that none of this was real. 

That Root wasn’t real.

She didn’t think she could handle it again. 

“Sameen…” Root repeated her name again, and then Shaw was brought back to the previous night, when Root, said her name in that same tone, as she tried to get her to believe that this was reality. Less than twelve hours ago, Root had been prepared to die with her, and unlike the virtual versions of her that ran through Shaw’s mind over seven thousand times, Root hadn't looked on while Shaw blew her brains out.

_“You cant live with me, I cant live without you.”_

Shaw closed her eyes against the sudden wave of emotion that hit her the way Martine’s bullets had when they ripped through her body.

The one thing, Samaritan could not emulate, was Root’s love.

Root’s erratic, selfless, unconditional love, that Shaw felt too much and not enough of.

The way Root made her feel, just by being around her, looking at her, touching her. No simulation could ever come close to evoking that level of emotion within her.

Shaw opened her eyes to find Root staring at her with an overwhelming amount of concern etched into her features.

“Root. You’re my safe place.”


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you happen to have any requests, prompts or ideas for this story please feel free to either comment or message me. I have also received some tumblr prompts that i plan to include in some future chapters. Thanks for your continuous support by reading or dropping kudos, it really motivates me to continue writing.
> 
> Warnings for this chapter is angst, Im sorry, there will be fluff smut to come.
> 
> Inspired by S4 episode 13 M.I.A

Reese’s heavy footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as he made his way to Root’s apartment. A cup of coffee was his idea of easing some of the pain he knew she was in after the machine had told them to stop searching for Shaw. When Finch had given him the same message, the reality of Shaw’s death had hit him like a ton of bricks. He had hit the nearest bar to try to relieve some the pain and guilt he felt at giving up on the hope that she could still be alive, but nothing could soothe it. In the depths of the sorrow he felt over the loss, his thoughts turned to Root and he made up his mind that come morning, he would go and visit her.

And here he was standing in front of Root’s door with a cup of coffee.

Though he was completely unsure of what to do or say when she opened the door.

Reese cleared his throat and knocked lightly, also recognizing that she most likely wanted to be left alone.

Still, he persisted and knocked a little harder when a few minutes went by with no response.

He wanted to believe that somewhere out there, Shaw was still alive. He felt Samaritan knew that Shaw would potentially be a valuable asset if they managed to turn her, which he doubted they had the ability to do. He remembered how long it took him and Finch to actually convince Shaw to trust them, let alone to work with them. 

How many times had she shot him?

He chuckled at the memory.

No. Shaw wouldn’t just lay down and die either, he knew she had to have fought to live and she would fight to be free if they were holding her captive.

He knew how it looked though and he was sure he could still be in denial, unwilling to accept the very real possibility that as the elevator descended that horrible day at the stock exchange, the final shot they had heard went into Shaw’s skull and ended her life weeks ago.

Root’s screams had echoed in his mind every night since then.

_Sameen! Sameen!_

Reese closed his eyes against the wave of emotion hitting him and wished he had bought a bottle of vodka instead of the coffee.

He opened them to find a grief-stricken hacker peeking curiously up at him through a small crack in the door. 

“Root…” He started and then held up the cup he had brought her, “I have uh some coffee here, I thought you might want some.”

Root opened the door fully and stepped back to let him in. When she closed the door, he took in her state of dress noticing the black hoodie she was wearing looked very familiar.

“You can put that on the counter.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He had never heard Root sound so defeated, not even when the machine stopped talking to her and he felt a deep pain pierce his heart at the cause of it.

“So, what brings you here John? Did Harry send you here to make sure I wasn't planning on killing anyone?” Root asked with a smile on her lips that didn't reach her eyes.

Reese set the coffee down and faced her shaking his head slightly. “Actually, Root I came here because I honestly don’t believe that Shaw is dead. I’m aware that I could be in denial, but I also know that the machine didn't give a definitive yes or no…” He trailed off becoming aware by the look on Root’s face, this visit may have been a bit too soon.

Root covered her face with her hands and her shoulders began to shake from the force of her silent sobs, and Reese felt awful. He knew the emotional turmoil of having confirmation that someone you cared about was dead, but not knowing and constantly wondering was mental torture. He hadn't fully considered that Root might not be able to have this conversation right now because whether Shaw was dead or alive, she had still been taken from her.

From them.

He closed this distance between them and placed his hands on her shoulders, “Root…I…. I’m sorry.” He struggled to find the words then moved towards the door, “I’m going to leave…maybe we could talk another time.”

When she met his eyes, the amount of grief and fury that displayed there took his breath away.

“You don’t have to leave John, I just…” Tears pooled in her eyes again and made thick watery paths down her cheeks. “I don’t know what to do.” She finished in a low whisper that Reese had to strain to hear.

He released a deep breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. 

Reese thought about the many times he had come to pick Shaw up from here on their way to a number, knowing that her place was on the opposite side of the city, when one day Shaw simply announced that this was Root’s apartment building and that they were sleeping together.

_“You can bite me if you have a problem with it.”_ She had dared.

He didn’t, and as much as she insisted it was just sex between them, he knew it had morphed into something else.

Their last conversation before the stock exchange, he had asked Shaw if she had noticed the way Root looked at her. 

The way they both acted in each other’s presence. 

How they both seemed ready to die for one another.

Shaw merely shrugged it off, but he knew that she was aware it was no longer just flirtation and sex.

Reese met Root’s tear filled gaze and said in a low voice what he had known for awhile now. “You’re in love with her.”

It wasn’t a question.

Root stared at him, her lip quivering and he was reminded yet again of her response to seeing Shaw’s body torn apart.

“Yes John, and it’s killing me.”

“Root…”

“I’ve never been in love before and when I first realized that I was, it terrified me and made me feel alive in a way I never have, not even with the machine…and I…I need her back John, I need Sameen here with me.” Her voice broke towards the end and Reese stepped closer to her as he felt a stinging in his eyes that he hadn't felt since he lost Carter.

“I think its best for us to wait for either the machine or Samaritan to reveal what exactly happened with Shaw.” Reese said in a heavy tone, “But if you get tired of waiting, you know where to find me.” He said with a finality that left no doubt.

Reese wanted to tear Samaritan apart from the inside out, starting with the ring leaders, Greer and Lambert and ending with that blond woman, Martine Rousseau. He would take his time with her because he knew it was her bullets that had pierced Shaw and when he was through with her, he would gladly hand her to Root to finish her off.

One way or the other, he would either save Shaw, or avenge her.

Root held his gaze for a moment and then genuinely smiled, as if reading his thoughts.

“I know.”


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of fluffy goodness. This is mostly head canon though you can place it anywhere between seasons 3 & 4

Can you tell me how Shaw is doing?” Root asks The Machine as she shoots out the knee caps of two approaching Samaritan operatives and continues down the hall.

**Primary asset Shaw has not left her apartment in approximately seventeen hours. She is currently laying in bed surrounded by several boxes of facial tissue and is in irritated mood based off the numerous expletives she shouts after a series of rapid expulsions from her lungs through the nose and mouth.**

Root smirks and tazes the agent guarding the office she needs to break in to. “You mean, Shaw’s sick,” she says to Her.

The Machine plays a sound Root interprets as yes.

Root smiles and shoots the lock off the door then enters the office, “Now, where are these files that you need?” She asks Her while looking around.

The Machine had contacted Root early the previous morning letting her know that there was a planned update for Samaritan that had been written instead of done electronically to keep Her in the dark. She needed Root to steal the files that had the information, so She could plan accordingly. Root obediently left New York to fly to Maine where Decima had purchased a building that used to be a school and was currently serving as a small base of operations for them.

Root walked over to the desk The Machine identified as the correct one and picks the lock then easily opens the drawer that contains the files. 

“Mission accomplished, can you get me the earliest flight back to New York?”

* * *

The sound of her front door unlocking causes Shaw to reach under her pillow for her loaded beretta and point it in the direction of the sound. Root stumbles in carrying bags of what smells like food and medicine from a local drugstore. Upon seeing the barrel of a gun peeking out from under several blankets and a small lump that was Shaw, the hacker grins at her and walks into the kitchen to set down her bags.

_You would’ve thought I greeted her with hugs and kisses. Psycho._

Shaw huffs in annoyance at her thoughts, not having the strength to do much else and pulls the gun back under her pillow.

“Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?”

A grunt from the blanket fort is the response.

“Aww I heard you weren’t feeling well, so I picked up a few things to help you feel better.”

“So, you thought I wouldn’t mind a little breaking and entering.”

Root giggles and walks over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it as she looks down at the quilt covered lump smiling.

“Actually, I have a key.” Root says smugly.

Shaw’s head aggressively peeks out from under the covers to give Root her best glare, though it mostly comes off as an adorable pout and causes Root to beam at her.

“How the hell did you…You know what never mind.” 

Root lays a cool hand on her over heated forehead and Shaw leans instinctively into the touch.

_Because it’s not like she wanted to or anything. Its just that Root’s hand feels good to her feverish skin._

“So. How about I feed you some chicken soup I picked up from your favorite diner, and give you some tyelenol to help bring your fever down?”

Shaw nods, feeling a headache coming on and lays back down.

Root runs her hand down to Shaw’s cheek and strokes it lightly, smiling as Shaw makes no move to bat her hand away.

Her eyes hungrily run the length of Shaw’s body, noticing how vulnerable Shaw is in this moment. 

Catching that look in her eyes, Shaw grumbles out, “Don’t even think about it.”

Root laughs and Shaw can’t help the small smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

After a moment, Root turns to get up and Shaw’s hand shoots up to her wrist, stopping her.

Root faces her again a little wide eyed at Shaw’s sudden movement and raises an eyebrow in question.

Shaw looks away from her and asks, “Could you just uh, stay in bed with me…for a little while?”

Root’s clothes were off with her long lithe body under the covers and wrapped around Shaw before she could finish the sentence.

Root pulls Shaw tightly against her body, delighting in getting no resistance from her and she presses her lips against Shaw’s ear.

“I’ll do whatever you want Sameen.” She whispers, and Shaw bites her lip at the promise in Root's words.

Root is warm and soft against her, Shaw decides that maybe she should allow cuddling after sex sometimes instead of just kicking Root out.

Though in the future, Shaw denies this ever happened.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of rough foreplay,stalker vibes and some arm/finger porn in the mix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Season 3 ep 3 lady killer and Shaw's arms

After the team had pulled out of the club when they suspected their number had gone after Carter, Shaw had decided to stick around. Shaw believed Carter was more than capable of handling herself even against a potential serial killer and besides if Joss was in any real danger, The Machine would’ve sent them her number. Nevertheless, Shaw kept her commlink turned on through the whole fiasco, and once she was satisfied things hadn’t taken a turn for the worse, she ordered another round of shots then hit the dance floor.

The bass pulsed through Shaw’s body and she danced until she felt sweat trickle down her spine. She started to head back toward the booth she had shared with Joss and Zoe when she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched. Instead of brushing it off she decided it was better to trust her instincts. She surveilled the entire club slowly, studying each face that her dark eyes landed on, until she found what she was looking for.

A pair of chestnut browns was locked on her. The violator’s hair was loose, flowing around her pale shoulders in curls and she wore a tight dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. Red lipstick coated her plump lips that held the hint of a suggestive smile and Shaw couldn’t help the small shiver that traveled down her spine.

_Root._

How the hell had she gotten out of the psych hospital?

Shaw began making her way through the crowd towards the hacker, stealing someone’s drink that had just been set down on a table as she made her way up to the balcony, determined to question her. Root remained where Shaw had spotted her and grinned wickedly at her when the soldier entered her personal space. Root felt her body warm in response to Shaw’s presence, wanting nothing more than to throw her down on the nearest surface and ravage her.

“What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be locked up in a room with a strait jacket on?” Shaw said, taking a sip of her drink.

Root chuckled, “Hello Sameen, you look…” She paused, taking in the black dress that looked perfectly made for Shaw’s toned body. Her eyes lingered on her plunging neck line and rested on her throat before making their way up to her lips that were currently being tantalizingly bitten under her intense scrutiny. 

“Breathtaking.” Root breathed out and Shaw released her full lower lip and looked away, clearly worked up over Root’s visual molestation.

“I’m uh….” She cleared her throat, realizing how dry it was suddenly and took a swallow of her wine, refusing to meet Root’s heated gaze, “here on a job, well I was.” She finished. 

Root had already known that, as Shaw’s whereabouts had been the first of many questions she had asked The Machine when she broke out of the hospital. However, she wasn’t ready to divulge that information yet to anybody, so she decided to change the subject to a more interesting topic.

“So…” Root started smugly, “Did you miss me?”

Shaw returned her smile with a wicked one of her own and replied “How’s that gunshot wound? You know the one in your shoulder? That I…” Shaw trailed off as Root’s long, nimble fingers began stroking the gunshot wound in question, which was currently hidden by the sleeve of her dress. Her black nail polish was illuminated by the lights of the club and Shaw found that her mind had short circuited due to Root’s seductive movements. Her breath hitched when Roots fingers slipped under the fabric of her sleeve and she noticeably dug her nails into what Shaw knew was still a tender wound.

A moan escaped both simultaneously and Shaw released a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She cleared her throat again when a drunk group of twenty something year olds ran past them and Root took the opportunity to close the distance between them and leaned down to press her soft lips against Shaw’s ear. 

“I love anything you put inside me Sameen.” She whispered.

Shaw, not one to be toyed with, slid a hand up Root’s dress, cursing internally at the feel of the hacker’s soft thigh against her rough palm. Root moaned lightly and nibbled on Shaw’s neck in response earning a growl in warning. Shaw raked her nails up Root’s flesh causing the hacker to gasp and pant desperately against Shaw’s neck.

“You couldn’t handle me putting anything inside of you.” Shaw managed to breath out. Arousal was heating her blood and causing a strong ache to form between her legs. The alcohol from earlier continued buzzing through her system and lowered her inhibitions. When a tiny voice whispered in her mind that she shouldn’t be doing this with Root, she cursed it to hell and pulled Root closer to her body noting how good she felt against her.

Root swallowed another moan when she felt Shaw’s sharp nails break the skin on her thigh and shuddered against her when she swiped a thumb slowly over the wound, imagining it was her tongue. “Try me Shaw. I’ve taken everything you’ve given so far, a bullet, a knife…” She ran her hands over Shaw’s toned arms remembering how she admired them the night Shaw had shot her in the shoulder.

Though Shaw had been forced to patch Root up before they took her to the psych hospital, she had been extremely thorough in cleaning the wound. She easily slid the knife in and popped out the bullet that had been lodged in her shoulder. Root had moaned slightly from the contact and even though Shaw’s eyes filled with lust at the sound, her hands remained steady. Shaw may have held the knife there a bit longer than needed to elicit more noises from Root, but she hadn’t noticed, her eyes were too busy watching Shaw’s biceps flex with her movements.

Root had been too distraught to flirt or make a comment about them then, but it was a memory that had kept her company on many lonely nights since. 

She yearned to feel those arms around her body, fought off the desire to sink her teeth into them.

Shaw’s phone began to ring loudly, the vibrations sounded against the gun hidden in her purse and she pushed Root roughly away from her as she dug around clumsily to pull her phone out. 

Shaw growled at the intrusion, wanting to hurl her phone against a wall when she saw the name that was lit up on her screen.

**HAROLD**

“What?!” She half yelled into the phone.

“Uh. Miss Shaw. I need you to return to the library to go over some information about Mr. Murphy that I have just discovered.

Cursing mentally, Shaw grunted out a response that meant she would be on her way and ended the call.

She brought her attention back to Root who was leaning casually against the ledge overlooking the club and smiling seductively at her. Root was secretly photographing this image of a frustrated, sweaty, sexy, no doubt horny Shaw in her mind and storing it away for later use when she finally had some alone time.

“Not to worry sweetie, you’ll be seeing me soon.” She said smugly with an attempted wink. The Machine had already began revealing to Root that she would need Shaw on a mission some time in the future, and Root had a devilish plan for how she would execute Her wishes.

Shaw held Root’s gaze for a moment, and decided she not to respond, because unfortunately, she knew that Root was right.

She departed with a huff and an eye roll.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Season 5 episode 10 The day the world went away, S5 ep 7 QSO, and many others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will make references to Root's death but as was mentioned I am not killing her in this story. The story is canon divergent, please remember this and do not flame me.
> 
> Warnings for this chapter is EXTREME angst. Dealing with grief from Shaw's pov. References to suicide. Self-Harm. You've been warned and as always, I apologize in advance for feels. Thank you all for your continued support.

* * *

  


Root’s apartment was quiet.

There was no distant sound of her tapping away at her keyboard.

Or lightly chatting away to the machine.

No overly affectionate greeting.

Just silence.

For all their time together, Shaw could never understand how Root kept an implant to The Machine in her ear. Shaw would constantly asked Root if She could hear them when they were alone, and Root always reassured her that it was the only time she shut off her implant. Whenever they stayed the night together, Shaw would usually wake to Root nerd talking to The Machine, her attention only shifting when she realized Shaw was staring her.

One night, Root had told Shaw that The Machine had given her a purpose in life, beforehand she had been contemplating suicide, and had resounded in herself to live as dangerously as possible so that she didn’t live long.

Shaw hadn’t known what to say, only the thought of Root dying, made her feel sick and angry.

When The Machine went into hiding, there was a change in Root that had also unsettled Shaw. Root was usually perky, confident and playful. That all came to a stop, and she became a shell of her previous self. Whenever she did smile it seemed forced and her once exorbitant confidence had dwindled. The light only returned to Root’s eyes the night Shaw invited her back to her place after declining Tomas’s offer to go to Spain. They had spent the entire evening together, and only then did Root admit that The Machine’s disappearance had caused her to feel empty inside.

Shaw found a way to fill her up.

Shaw had also found ways to keep Root busy enough that she didn’t focus so much of her attention on the silence in her ear. Instead of only seeing Root during a mission, she would invite her out to do things as simple as walking Bear or accompanying her on a jog around central park. She made sure Root wasn’t alone too long and in doing so she began to see Root becoming alive again instead of just existing. 

The emptiness Root had felt when The Machine hid, the torment Root felt when she had been captured by Samaritan, Shaw understood it now.

With one simple shake of the head, John didn’t know that he had devastated her with the news.

Shaw would not accept that Root was gone, Root had just been by her side shooting at Samaritan agents while engaging in a flirty metaphysical conversation with her.

_“Listen, all I’m saying is if we are just information, just noise in the system, we may as well be a symphony.”_

Shaw closed her eyes against the sound of Root’s word echoing in her mind.

“Root. I refuse to believe those were your last words to me.” Shaw whispered into the silence of the apartment.

There was no response.

Shaw felt a burning sensation in her eyes and an unfamiliar pain clutching at her chest in a way it never had. Not when her father died. Not even when she was kicked out of Med School.

When she lost Cole, she had been angry.

In Samaritan’s capture she had wanted to end her life.

All of that paled in comparison to what she felt in this moment.

This moment where she stood in the middle of the apartment that had been a safe place for her ever since her return.

No. It wasn’t the apartment that had been her safe place.

It was Root.

Root had saved her when she was at her end point with Samaritan. The psychological torture had broken her mind and caused her to question her reality. To make matters worse, they were testing drugs on her to see how much her body could handle before she ceased fighting. Her final straw had been when a nurse came in to check her vitals and give her a new dosage. Shaw tricked her into coming close to her and stole both her key card and the needle containing the drug before pushing the nurse out into the hallway. Shaw knew where and how she needed to shove that needle into her eye for it to enter her brain and kill her instantly. Somehow, as Shaw was making peace with her decision, Root had managed to get a message to her through interference from an intercom that had been in her room. It took her only a few seconds to decipher the code.

_“ 4…A…Four alarm fire. Root.”_

It had given Shaw the strength to get through to the next day, and plan to leave there not in a body bag, but alive and kicking.

The sound of her cellphone ringing snapped her out of her memories. She knew from the ringtone it was Reese.

She ignored it.

She walked into Root’s bedroom where only a night ago, she had been wrapped up in her arms.

They had been talking about the future, what would happen if they survived this.

“We will survive this Root, and then you and I can really figure shit out.” Shaw had huffed out, annoyed at Root’s constant use of “if.”

Root had smiled at those words but didn’t reply. 

Shaw looked down at her phone, then looked at the computer on the bed, and said aloud.

“I know you can hear me.”

A few moments went by and then her phone buzzed.

**YES SHAW.**

Shaw glared at the text and her hand began to tremble as emotion overtook her.

“Did…Did you know Root was going to…” She couldn’t say the word.

It would make it real, if she said it.

The Machine did not respond for several minutes, until finally, her phone buzzed again.

**SHAW…**

Shaw’s eyes began burning again, and she could not stop the constant stream of tears flowing from her eyes. The pain she had felt inside amplified and gave way to a rage that made her want to burn everything in sight. 

She knew. The Machine knew, and She did nothing to save Root.

Shaw threw her phone against the floor and it burst into a million pieces in the same way she felt her heart had, her strength left her, and she sank to the floor giving herself over to the grief that had been eating away at her.

“You let her die, you let her die…” She said repeatedly through sobs and she began banging her fists into the floor until her knuckles tore and bled from the impact.

“You let her die alone.” She whispered weakly.

In the middle of the night, after Shaw had managed to gather herself up and leave the apartment, a blinking cursor appeared on the screen of the abandoned laptop that sat on the bed.

Moments later a message appeared.

**ROOT IS NEVER ALONE.**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reese contacts Shaw in the middle of the night to take out a criminal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can pretty much place this in the middle of season four when the Machine stops speaking to Root. Warnings for this chapter is smut references and gun violence but mostly fluff and flirts.

* * *

  
Shaw sat on the ledge of a Manhattan skyscraper, her M24 Remington bolt action sniper rifle stood before her on its bipod as she carefully peered through the scope at her target. She shivered slightly from the night chill and cursed Reese for his request that not only pulled her out of her sleep but took her away from the warmth of a long-limbed rogue hacker currently snoozing in her bed, lost in the serenity of blissful unconsciousness.

Shaw smirked as she remembered just why Root was in such a deep sleep.

“You owe me big time for this Reese.” She said over the commlink.

“Just give me the name of the steakhouse and I’ll book reservations.” Reese stated calmly.

“And a bottle of the best whiskey in the states.”

“You mean the most expensive whiskey in the states.”

Shaw smirked. “Of course.”

She had been alone for the evening texting back and forth with Root until they both decided it was best for her to just come over. They ripped at each other’s clothes as soon as Shaw opened the door and after a rough and intense fuck against the wall, kitchen counter top and floor, they ended up in an exhausted heap of tangled limbs on her bed.

Shaw had been asleep for a solid two hours before the sound of her phone vibrating angrily against her night stand woke her. A quick glance at Root showed that the woman hadn’t stirred at all, and Shaw reached over her to grab her phone, grumbling as the screen lit up with several missed messages.

_Reese 2:15 AM: Shaw? are you awake?_  
_Reese 2:30 AM: Could you give me a call asap?_  
_Reese 2:50 AM: I need your help Shaw. We have just been tipped off by an anonymous caller about a serial killer hiding out in Tribeca. You happen to be the closest to his current location and I need you to take him out. The department wants him either dead or alive, so it’ll be your call, but I don’t know how much longer this guy will be here. So please get back to me._

Shaw muttered a stream of curse words in Farsi and English as she pulled the quilt off her body and was immediately assaulted by the cold air of the loft. She made her way hurriedly to the bathroom and took a quick shower then dressed and headed to her fridge to pick a weapon.

Meanwhile, Root remained motionless on the bed, drained and satisfied. Her light snores paired with the slight rise and fall of her chest were the only indication that she was alive. Shaw took the moment to take in the hacker’s appearance before she left. Root’s hair was wild and thrown about on the sheets, and her pale skin was marred with red streaks from the scratches Shaw had marked her with. Her lips were slightly parted and swollen due to the intensity of their kisses and subsequent bites. 

No one had ever looked more beautiful to Shaw.

Overcome with an emotion that began tugging at her chest every time she was near Root, Shaw took that as her cue to leave, and turned away to head out into the frigid embrace of the winter, hopeful that it would cool the firestorm within her.

Shaw monitored the perp’s apartment for at least an hour when Root’s sensual playful voice assaulted her commlink with a greeting that felt like a caress.

“Hey sweetie, did you miss me?”

Shaw laughed despite herself, shaking her head, “I just saw you a few hours ago Root, you might not remember though, since it seems like I fucked your brains out.” She said smugly.

“Mmm, that you did, I haven’t slept like that in ages…Where are you?”

The wind began to pick up and Shaw reached in her bag to grab her beanie and recited Reese’s text message to Root as she carefully tucked her hair underneath it.

Root hummed in agreement and said, “He knows you’re the best marksman he has the privilege of calling a friend.”

Shaw smirked at that, “Damn right.”

“Always hitting the right sp-, I mean…target.”

Shaw’s eyebrows rose.

“Even in less than stellar circumstances…” She continued huskily.

Shaw bit her lip.

“Like a C.I.A safehouse or a library prison…”

“You know I’m pretty sure the inmates in Rikers would beg to differ with your definition of a prison.” Shaw cut in with a roll of eyes and a smile tugging at her lips.

They both shared a laugh.

Shaw realized that since she had been talking to Root she hadn’t shivered or even thought about the cold. It was as if Root’s very presence had warmed her from the inside out.

Like a perfect bottle of aged whiskey.

The lights flicking on in the perp’s apartment stopped Shaw’s train of thought from going any further. She immediately focused on the target as he moved from room to room making sure that he was alone.

“Root…” She said in a low voice laced with lust, “I’m about to shoot this guy.”

“Oh yeah? With what?”

Shaw described her gun to her in detail, earning a delighted squeal from Root as thoughts of Shaw in all black , a gun in hand, standing on a rooftop of a building with her hair blowing in the wind like some sort of dark vigilante riddled her mind.

“Sameen, what do you think about role-play?”

Shaw narrowed her eyes, curved her finger around the trigger and released a slow breath.

**_BANG BANG_ **

The perp never seen or heard the shots coming, just an instantaneous pain and the shock that followed from having his knee caps blown out, caused him to scream and shit himself simultaneously.

Shaw nodded to herself, mentally patting herself on the back for a job well done. A few moments passed before she realized that she had not answered Root’s question. Her mind short circuited though when obscene wet sounds and Root’s soft moans traveled into her ear through the commlink.

“Root?”

“You…and guns…makes me so hot.” Root panted sounding near to an orgasm.

“Fuck.” Shaw growled out.

Shaw stole the first car she laid eyes on when she made it to the main floor of the building and sped through the streets as the sun rose, weaving effortlessly in and out of traffic and coming to an abrupt stop at her the front of her building. She jumped out, slamming the car door behind her and damn near knocked over an elderly man as she practically flew into the lobby. She stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button rapidly.

“Come on, come on.” She grumbled impatiently.

“Sameen…” Root said her name in a desperate whisper.

“Oh I’m going to finish what you started Root.” She said as the elevator’s door slid open.

  


* * *

  
A few hours later, Reese and Fusco made their way into the perp’s apartment and after clearing each room except the bathroom, shared a wary look as they made their way to it. As they stood in front of the door, unsure of what to expect Fusco immediately stepped aside to allow John the honor of having the first look.

Shaw’s text had been very vague, only a brief _“it’s done”_ , confirming that she had handled him, but not if he was either dead or alive and exactly where she had left him.

Reese held up his gun and turned the knob slowly as he opened the door. His eyebrow twitched at the sight before him.

The perp lay unconscious in the bathtub barely filled with water, naked, shit all around him and blood spilling out of his knee caps.

Reese sent Shaw a text after having gotten the guy into an ambulance with Fusco.

_Reese 7:15 AM: You couldn’t have shot him with his clothes on?_

Shaw didn’t respond for a while, but when she finally did, it was Reese’s turn to roll his eyes.

_Shaw 1:32 PM: Nope._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if anyone has ever seen Dollhouse but Amy Acker's character was named whiskey, which just so happens to be one of Shaw's favorite drinks.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Root & Shaw discover that they have more in common than they think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by a Shoot + Cartoons prompt posted on Tumblr.

  


* * *

  
Shaw immediately attaches the silencer to her gun as she listens to the sounds coming from inside of her apartment, not wanting to cause any unnecessary attention if she has to get rid of the body of whomever dared to violate her personal space. She slowly slides her key into the lock and turns it with her left hand to the door knob and her right gripping her gun, finger eagerly curling around the trigger and ready to pop whoever she sees.

Unfortunately, as her door opens, her eyes catch a glimpse of bunny slippers, wavy hair and chestnut eyes that light up as they settle on her.

She had forgotten that there was a burglarizing, clothes stealing, hacker in her life whom had the gift of tracking her down whenever she saw fit.

Shaw growls loudly and puts her gun down on the counter while giving Root her best death glare.

“Fuck are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.” Root answers with no hesitation, eyes dancing with mischief and a light smile gracing her lips.

“Why? And what the hell is on your feet?” Shaw asks without looking at Root while she makes her way to the fridge to grab a beer.

“I didn’t know I needed a reason to see you Sameen.” Root says while batting her eyes and enjoying the view of Shaw bent over rummaging through her fridge.

Shaw grumbles something that Root can’t quite make out, but she is certain has to do with bitch interfaces.

The soldier settles on an ale and turns to resume glaring daggers at Root but the sounds from the television distract her. She walks over to her living room and takes note of the looney toons theme song signaling the ending of a Bugs bunny episode.

Shaw’s eyes grow wide as she realizes those were the sounds she had heard in the hallway while she was making her way to her apartment and she turns to find Root with an amused grin on her face as she regards Shaw.

“You like cartoons?” Shaw says in disbelief.

Root giggles and nods “Is that so hard so to believe?”

Shaw sits down next to Root on the couch and leans her head back locking eyes with her. “Pegged you as more of a sci-fi kind of girl.”

“I do enjoy sci-fi, but I grew up watching cartoons, it was probably the only time I spent not on a computer or with Hanna.” Root says with a distant look in her eyes, becoming lost in memories.

Shaw grows silent at the mention of Root’s friend. She had recently found out from John that Hanna had been kidnapped and murdered by a man who lived in her town and Root had tried to alert the authorities to no avail.

The opening theme song to another looney toons episode comes on and Shaw leans back against her couch cushions.

“I used to watch cartoons with my dad.” Shaw says not meeting the brown doting eyes that have now locked on her.

“You did?”

“Yeah, he was a fan of Pepé Le Pew and he kept trying to make what he thought was a female skunk fall in love with him, when she was cat and she hated him because he smelled like shit.”  
Root laughs, “Yeah, it pained that poor cat to be around him.”

“Her face…” Shaw shakes her head and grins, “She practically killed herself trying to get away from him.”

They both share a laugh.

“My favorite character was Marvin the Martian.” Root says proudly.

Shaw shakes her head, “You’re such a nerd.”

“He always had the best weapons, such as his explosive space modulator and…”

“Get out of here, the coyote always had the best weapons, he got them mail-ordered from acme to wherever he was.”

“ Shaw, Wiley E. Coyote was an imbecile, he could never get that road runner no matter what he ordered from Acme, it took him most of the episode to even set up and he either end up, burnt, smashed or half dead by his own weapons.”

“Well the Martian wore a skirt and could never destroy earth no matter what dumb ass weapon he had.”

She chanced a glance at Root who was merely smirking at her like she had just found out the world’s best kept secret.

“What?!” Shaw demanded.

“This is nice, us gals just sitting here on the couch-“

“This is **MY** couch, you broke in here…”

“Debating about cartoons while sexual tension fills the air.” Root continues smugly, inching closer to Shaw until she ends up straddling her and slipping her hands underneath Shaw’s shirt, delighting in the feel of Shaw’s solid abs rippling beneath her touch.

“Root.” Shaw breaths out, her hands coming to grip Root’s hips to steady her.

Root responds by capturing Shaw’s lips in a deep kiss, putting all she felt in that moment into it. She had never been in a domestic situation before with another person before. Though it was a new, it was nice, and she was glad she was sharing it with Shaw.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to canon. Inspired by S4 ep 8 Point of origin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild divergence where The Machine lets Root know before Martine is deployed that Samaritan has found Shaw. Warnings are smut and angst, you can definitely scroll past it if smut isnt your thing.

  
  
“Sameen…If I asked you not to leave your apartment for a few days, would you do it?” Root asked between her perfectly angled thrusts in and out of Shaw’s hot core. She marveled at the how wet she could make the soldier and the sounds she could elicit from her. She felt Shaw’s tight walls clenching and releasing in response to her fingers gliding between them and the beauty of the moment swept through her powerfully, stealing her breath away.

She could easily spend forever inside Sameen.

Shaw groaned. Root always had bad timing, always choosing to have deep conversation either with bullets whizzing by or in the middle of intense sex. Root’s free hand came up to her throat and begin slowly choking her out. She cut off her air supply and released it in tune with the bruising rhythm she was fucking Shaw to, managing to find her way deeper into Shaw’s tight sex, and easily slipping another finger inside.  
Root gripped her throat tighter and Shaw felt herself beginning to blackout, then just when she was about to, air came rushing back in and she felt the skin on her thigh break open as Root’s sharp canines sank into it.

Shaw came angrily, her body responding to Root’s thorough and absolute taking of her. She hated the way Root knew how to pull orgasms from her, even when she felt she had none left to give. As pleasure spread throughout her entire body and carried her up and away, Root stroked her through it, never stopping but keeping pace. The hacker’s wicked tongue licked a sinful trail over her clit and fingers nestled knuckle deep within her. Shaw could make no reply to Root’s question; the sensations overloaded her mind until she couldn’t think or feel anything but Root.

Shaw lost track of the amount of times she came. She gave up on trying not to moan from the sheer ecstasy that ripped through her. 

“Root.” Shaw moaned, the only coherent thought that lingered in her mind was the name of her lover.

Root smirked and flipped Shaw’s agile body on her stomach and fucked her from behind. Her fingers dove repeatedly into Shaw’s spot while her thumb expertly stroked her clit. She leaned into Shaw’s back and kissed her way up the soldier’s spine, the sunk her teeth into soft flesh once she reached her neck.

“Oh fuck…Root…Root. ” Shaw cried out as wave after wave of pleasure rocked her. She pushed back against Root’s fierce penetration and came all over her fingers, her juices spilling out onto the sheets beneath them.

They collapsed together, tangled in each other’s limbs, energy spent, and completely satisfied.  
  


* * *

  
Root’s fingers found their way up and down the length of Shaw’s spine. She traced old and new scars that littered her muscular back and leaned forward to kiss some of them.

“Root.” Groaned a sleepy Shaw as she turned to face her. “If you’re planning on fucking me again, you need to feed me first."

Root chuckled and raised an eyebrow while running her eyes down Shaw’s newly exposed skin. “That can be arranged, but we still have important matters to discuss.”

Shaw pulled a pillow over her face to hide herself from the inevitable conversation, she had hoped that maybe Root’s memory would’ve been wiped away by last night’s activities, but Root proved her wrong. 

A muffled, “Do we really have to?” could be heard from beneath the pillow.

“Afraid so darlin’.”

Root’s earlier conversation with The Machine came back to her and with it the anxiety that had caused her to call Shaw in the middle of the night and ask her to come over. Though she had initially planned to just talk to Shaw, sex was always a welcomed bonus. However, it hadn’t deterred her from what she needed to ask.

She gently tugged at the pillow Shaw was hiding under and pulled it away. Their gazes locked on one another and Root could tell Shaw was trying to get read on her. She became alert after a few moments and decided to sit up in the bed.

Shaw arched an eyebrow at the many emotions that flashed across Root’s face. Desire was always there but this time accompanied by a sadness, and worse, concern. Root looked away then and suddenly found an interesting spot to stare at on the ceiling.

Shaw frowned, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “Root, what aren’t you telling me?

For Root to deliberately not meet Shaw’s eyes and to take this long to reveal something to her, made Shaw conclude that this was serious and disturbing.

At least it was disturbing to Root.

And if it disturbed Root, then it disturbed her…or something like that.

A few eye rolls and pokes to the hacker’s side later, Root finally opened her mouth. “The Machine told me that Samaritan has managed to identify you and has deployed an agent who is currently on her way to New York.” She says solemnly still not making eye contact with Shaw.

A growl could be heard coming from the soldier, alerting Root that Shaw was not pleased by the revelation.

Shaw gripped Root’s chin and made her meet her dark eyes. “So, _this_ is the reason you want me locked up in my apartment?” Shaw spat causing a cold shiver to travel up Root’s spine from the tone of her voice.

“Sameen.”

Shaw abruptly threw the sheets off her and swung her legs around to the floor. She immediately started gathering up her clothes and putting them on hastily, while grumbling at Root. “I can’t believe you. How long have we been working together? And you really think some Samaritan bitch is going to harm me? I did four tours in Iraq, had women and men coming at me with everything from an AK-47 to homemade bombs…”  
Shaw said stomping out of the room.

“Sameen, listen to me-" Root was right on Shaw’s heels as she made her way to the living room to grab her jacket. Before Shaw could slide an arm into her sleeve she was forcefully spun around and met with a furious yet desperate expression on Root’s face. 

“No Shaw, you are not leaving like this. You are going to talk to me.”

“You have seen my abilities and skills, you know more than anyone else that I am more than capable of handling myself Root. The fact that you doubt me-“

“I don’t doubt you Sameen!” Root screamed.

“Then why the hell do you want me to hide?!” Shaw shouted with disgust.

“Because I can’t lose you Sameen, I just can’t.”

Root’s voice cracked with admission, and she released Shaw, suddenly so drained of her energy. The emotional outbursts from the hacker had caused Shaw to stop thinking and start listening. Shaw realized then that the threat of Samaritan was far greater than anything she could’ve imagined. It not only had the power to take The Machine away, but it could also end all their lives.

Tears began streaming down Root’s face and something tugged at Shaw’s heart. She decided it was one of the worse things she had ever seen and something that she’d rather not see ever again, if she could avoid it.

“Root…”

“I lost someone I cared about when I was a teenager, and I’m just now making peace with it. The way I feel about you…. I can’t go through that again Shaw.” Root shook her head and closed her eyes, willing the tears to stop falling.

Shaw stared at Root, the weight of her words nearly crushing her with their intensity. _The way I feel about you_ was on repeat in her head and suddenly she couldn’t breathe, she needed space. Root opened her eyes when she heard Shaw’s quick footsteps making their way into the bathroom, and blinked tears away when the door slammed and locked.

Shaw pressed her back against the door and took in deep breaths with slow exhales. She placed her hand over heart and tried to calm the erratic beats of it. She took a few steps over to the sink and turned the faucet on, dousing her face several times with cold water.

She stayed there for several moments, processing everything Root had said. Wondering when had a couple of flings turned into emotional tear-soaked conversations. She knew that Root had strong feelings for her but hearing it from her own mouth was proving to be too much for Shaw to handle.

She didn’t want to stop seeing her though and had already accepted the hacker’s persistent presence in her life. In fact, she looked forward to it, Root had become a gentle soothing balm to Shaw’s open wounds of both the past and present. She stabilized Shaw when her mind was utter chaos and her emotions were nothing more than a raging storm threatening to overtake her. Some nights while lying in bed with Root, Shaw felt something akin to normalcy, when much of her life had been spent in an angry blur and a downward spiral of alcohol and murder.

When had Root become so important to her?

A soft knock came at the door startling Shaw out of her racing thoughts.

“Sameen?” Root whispered softly.

Shaw opened the door slowly and was met with Root’s intense gaze. She watched a display of emotions play across Root’s face before settling on one, love.

The soldier cleared her throat and glanced away for a second before speaking, “I can’t hide Root, it’s not my thing.” Shaw said before meeting Root’s eyes again.

A small smile tugged at Root’s lips, she held eye contact with Shaw, not looking away for even a second, “I know baby.” 

Shaw swooned a bit internally at the affectionate term but revealed nothing on her face. She decided she would compromise for Root because really, when did Root ever ask for her anything?

Shaw shifted her weight a bit and leaned against the door, “Listen, if this agent manages to find me, I’ll stay in my apartment for awhile but no more than a few days Root.” Shaw gestured with her finger pointed towards Root in a way that let her know that Shaw's terms were non-negotiable.

Root visibly relaxed at her words and nodded her head appreciatively, “Ok. Sameen.”

Shaw let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding and fidgeted a bit, “Can we go back to bed now?” She asked in a bit of pout that Root found adorable.

Root beamed, her features lighting up with her smile that made Shaw’s stomach flip from something she couldn’t quite describe. Root reached between them and threaded her fingers through Shaw’s and pulled the soldier towards her.

“Absolutely.”


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by s2 ep 22 God Mode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Shoot week!!

  


* * *

  
“A psych hospital?” Shaw asks disbelievingly, her eyes widened as Harold stated firmly that he intended to put Root into a psychiatric hospital.

“Yes. Miss Shaw, it is for her own good.” He says trying to convince Shaw to see it his way.

Shaw thought about Root for a moment, sure the hacker had kidnapped Harold and made him take her to the machine. It’s possible she could’ve killed him had Shaw not intervened by shooting her, which was only in the shoulder, Root was an excellent marksman and if she wanted Harold dead, Shaw was sure he would’ve been prior to her and Reese getting there.

“Harold, didn’t you build the damn thing she’s obsessed with?”

Finch fidgets in his seat and glances over at John who stood guard over the room they had confined Root to. John only locks eyes with him but his expression gives no indication of his thoughts.

“Well, I-I, yes…I built it.” He says finally.

“So…” Shaw took a long swig from the bourbon on the table, having gone through Finch’s liquor cabinet when they arrived at the safe house and taken out the most expensive bottle she could find. “Don’t you feel a little responsible for her actions?”

“Miss Shaw, understand something, this is me taking responsibility. Miss Groves has no regard for human life, if I allow her to remain free, the consequences could be catastrophic, as she will not stop at nothing to find The Machine.”

Shaw blinks but doesn't respond. There had been a time where she had little regard for human life as well and didn’t feel anything for the lives she took. Being on the other side and helping people stay alive had given her a new perspective and a purpose in a world full of violence, maybe Root needed a chance to see things their way.

“If she turns into a vegetable while she’s there, I hope you’ll be able to sleep at night Harold, also, remind me to never get on your bad side.”

“What do you suggest I do Miss Shaw, let an obsessive killer for hire continue to walk the streets of New York?”

“You know John and I have both killed people before without getting paid to do it. So why haven’t you thrown us into a psych ward?” Shaw says while finishing the last of the bourbon.

Harold’s eyes widen and he glances over at Reese to see a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“That is... completely different Miss Shaw, now, if you can please, stitch Miss Groves up before she bleeds out, it would be greatly appreciated.”

Shaw’s eyes touch the ceiling as she makes her way down the hall to grab the first aid kit from the closet.

“You’re the boss.” She grumbles as her footsteps retreat.  
  


* * *

  
Shaw felt Root’s manic energy before she laid eyes on her. As she made her way into the room the hacker was being held in, she noticed Root’s blood soaking the dingy bandages they managed to find, and leaking down her arm in angry streams of red.

John fidgeted nervously as both Root and Shaw, locked eyes with each other. He remembered all too well that Root had managed to shock Shaw with a taser and zip tie her to a chair in a hotel room on their first meeting.

He leans down to the soldier and whispers, “can I trust you to not ‘accidentally’ kill her Shaw?”.

Shaw kept her eyes trained on the woman before her. A slight smile tugged at the corner of the hacker’s mouth and though she was in pain both mentally and physically, she seemed unfazed by it as she regards the soldier before her.

Root’s eyes trail hungrily over the length of Shaw’s body and stops to meet her eyes again. Shaw glares daggers in her direction, but the woman remains unaffected by her actions, even after being shot by her.

John clears his throat to remind Shaw that he was in fact still present while watching the very tense silent exchange between them and was awaiting a response to his earlier question.

“Yeah, but don’t hold your breath on that one.” Shaw says finally.

“Good enough for me.” John says as he makes his way out of the room to meet up with Finch.

They were alone.

Root inhales deeply as a sharp pain emanates from her gunshot wound. 

Shaw exhales as more blood flowed down Root’s arm and her skin color begins to pale. Still, neither looks away.

Suddenly Root grins, baring all her teeth, reminding Shaw of the cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland.

Breaking the silence as amusement danced in her eyes, Root said, “Hello Shaw, did you miss me?” 

Shaw narrows her eyes and growls low.

“No. Psycho.”

Root holds her predatory gaze, giving Shaw a heated once over that causes her to feel the stirrings of arousal settling low in her stomach that she decides to attribute to hunger.

“Stop looking at me like that. You know I’m very tempted to just let your ass bleed out here. Less work for me.” Shaw says while crossing her arms over her chest.

“It would make no difference to me if you did.” Root replies with a smile lingering at her lips. “Although, I would regret not getting to feel your hands on me.”

Shaw conjures up the best death glare she could manage and stalks over to the hacker, tearing off the dingy bandages that had been hastily put on Root’s arm, with more force than the necessary. She lays the first aid kit down on a nearby table and meticulously begins choosing what tools she needs to stitch up Root’s shoulder.

Root watches Shaw in fascination as she begins working on her, first cleaning her arm to her satisfaction then proceeding to efficiently and with the least amount of pain, close the gaping hole in her shoulder. She remembered Shaw’s file and thinks that it was terrible that her med school determined her unfit to be a doctor when she was so obviously skilled. Shaw’s fingers work expertly against her flesh as she finishes suturing the wound and she finds herself fascinated by the soldier’s multi-faceted talents.

With a final swipe of an antibacterial cloth, Shaw nods to her, confirming that she was done.

“I’m going to give you something for the pain. Not sure if they will give you anything where you’re headed.”

Root smiles, having overheard the entire debate about placing her in a psychiatric hospital, and Shaw’s surprising stance on the matter.

“Thank you, Shaw, I mean it.” Root says locking eyes with her again.

Shaw holds her gaze and for a second, thinks about trying to convince Finch to let Root go free, or find a different way of dealing with her. Truth be told, she didn’t think the woman was as crazy as they thought she was. Deadly? Yes. Erratic? Sure. But crazy to the point of being locked away in an asylum?

Shaw wouldn’t wish that on anybody.

She sighs deeply as she grabs the morphine out of the first aid kit. “Root, is there anyway you could, I don’t know, forget, about The Machine?”

Root chuckles lightly and shakes her head, “How can anyone forget about God?” she says, flinching a little as Shaw injects her with the needle.

Shaw glances up at her then pulled the needle out gently, quickly placing an alcohol pad on the mark it left to stop the bleeding then pressing a band aid on it.

“I guess, you can’t.” Shaw says lowly, “Just do what they tell you to do and get out of there.”

“I’ve never been good at following directions.”

“Yeah I’ve noticed.”

Root smirks and watches Shaw walk back over to the table to put away the supplies she used. “Don’t worry Shaw, you’ll see me again soon.” Root says smugly, her eyes locked on Shaw’s ass.

Shaw grunts, “Whatever. No one is worried.”

John appears in the doorway, gun in hand and eyes trained on Root, “All good here? Finch is ready to move her.”

Shaw casts a final look at Root who has closed her eyes against Reese’s words. She debates one final time internally about trying to convince the guys to let Root go then decides against it, remembering Root’s confident last words to her.

_You’ll see me again soon._

Shaw believes her, and maybe, even looks forward to it.


End file.
